Understanding the shift from MPLS to software-defined networking
If your business has more than one location, you have probably heard the term SD-WAN thrown around by vendors and consultants. But what does it actually mean, and is it worth the switch from the traditional networking setup you already have in place? Let us break it down in plain language so you can make an informed decision for your business.
What Is SD-WAN?
SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined Wide Area Network. In simple terms, it is a smarter way to connect your office locations to each other and to the internet. Instead of relying on a single, dedicated connection between sites, SD-WAN uses software to intelligently route your traffic across multiple internet connections. It can combine broadband, fiber, LTE, and even 5G links into one managed network, automatically choosing the best path for each type of traffic in real time.
Think of it this way: traditional networking is like having one highway between your offices. If that highway gets congested or goes down, you are stuck. SD-WAN gives you multiple roads and a GPS system that constantly reroutes your traffic to avoid problems before you even notice them.
How Traditional MPLS Works
Multiprotocol Label Switching, or MPLS, has been the gold standard for business networking for over two decades. It provides a private, dedicated connection between your locations through your carrier's network. MPLS is reliable, offers guaranteed bandwidth, and delivers consistent performance. However, it comes with significant drawbacks: it is expensive, takes weeks or months to provision new circuits, and was designed for an era when most of your applications lived on a server in your own office rather than in the cloud.
The Key Benefits of SD-WAN
Built-in redundancy. Because SD-WAN aggregates multiple connections, losing one link does not take your network offline. Traffic automatically shifts to the remaining connections with little to no disruption. For businesses that cannot afford downtime, this resilience is a significant upgrade over a single MPLS circuit.
Significant cost savings. MPLS circuits typically cost three to five times more than comparable broadband connections. By replacing or supplementing MPLS with less expensive internet links managed by SD-WAN, many businesses reduce their networking costs by 30 to 50 percent while actually improving performance.
Cloud optimization. Traditional MPLS networks often backhaul cloud-bound traffic through a central data center before sending it out to the internet. SD-WAN can send cloud traffic directly from each branch location to the cloud provider, dramatically reducing latency for applications like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and cloud-hosted line-of-business applications.
Easier multi-site management. Adding a new office to an SD-WAN deployment can be done in days rather than weeks. Configuration is managed centrally through a single dashboard, giving your IT team or managed services provider visibility and control across all locations without traveling to each site.
When SD-WAN Makes Sense
SD-WAN delivers the most value for businesses with two to five locations that rely heavily on cloud-based applications. If your team is working in Microsoft 365, running a cloud ERP system, or using hosted VoIP across multiple offices in the Dayton, Cincinnati, or greater SW Ohio area, SD-WAN is likely a strong fit. The combination of cost savings, improved cloud performance, and built-in redundancy makes the business case straightforward for most multi-location organizations.
When It Might Not Be the Right Move
If your business operates from a single office with a solid fiber connection and no plans to expand, SD-WAN may be unnecessary complexity. The technology is purpose-built for connecting multiple sites and optimizing traffic across locations. A single-site business with reliable fiber and a properly configured firewall is already in good shape. Similarly, if you have highly specialized compliance requirements that mandate private circuits, MPLS may still be part of your infrastructure even alongside SD-WAN.
Making the Decision
The shift from traditional networking to SD-WAN is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Many businesses start with a hybrid approach, keeping an MPLS circuit at their primary location while deploying SD-WAN at branch offices. This lets you test the technology, realize the cost savings, and build confidence before making a full transition.
For businesses across SW Ohio operating multiple locations, the question is shifting from "should we consider SD-WAN" to "when should we make the move." The cost savings, performance improvements, and operational simplicity make it one of the most impactful infrastructure upgrades available today. If you are evaluating your network and want to understand what SD-WAN could look like for your specific environment, reach out for a no-pressure conversation about your options.
Key Takeaways
- SD-WAN aggregates multiple internet connections for built-in redundancy, so losing one link does not take your network offline.
- Businesses with 2-5 locations using cloud applications like Microsoft 365 see the greatest benefit from SD-WAN's cost savings and cloud optimization.
- A hybrid approach -- keeping MPLS at your primary location while deploying SD-WAN at branches -- lets you test the technology before full transition.